Actor RJ Mitte, known for his role as Walter “Flynn” White Jr. on AMC’s Breaking Bad, has died. He was 34.
“It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of beloved actor, philanthropist, and passionate disability rights advocate RJ Mitte,” his rep said in a statement to Us on Monday, October 12. (TMZ was first to report the news.)
Recalling his role on Breaking Bad, the statement continued, “Drawing from his own experience living with cerebral palsy, Mitte brought authenticity to the role and built a platform on disability awareness and inclusion.”
Mitte was diagnosed with a mild form of cerebral palsy (CP), a group of neurological disorders that affect a person’s ability to move, maintain balance and control posture, when he was 3 years old.
“Beyond entertaining friends and family around the world, he served as an ambassador for United Cerebral Palsy and Shriners Children’s,” his rep added in his Monday statement. “He also served as president of The Mitte Foundation, supporting philanthropic efforts and community initiatives, while using his platform to challenge stereotypes and promote greater representation for people with disabilities.”
The statement concluded, “At this time, we ask people to respect the privacy of RJ Mitte’s family and close ones.”
A county official told TMZ that Mitte died on Monday in Texas. An investigation into his death is ongoing, according to the report.
Mitte starred in 56 episodes of Breaking Bad from 2008 to 2013. His character suffered from a more severe case of CP.
“My disability has given me so many things that people will never understand unless you have it,” he said in a 2014 interview. “Unless you’ve been through the physical therapy, unless you’ve been (through) the sweat, the tears, the family problems, the family struggles, but wondering how you’re going to get that HMO, wondering how you’re going to get those medical bills. You develop a different mentality and you develop a different look at how the world sees you and how you see the world.”
Mitte recently appeared on the October 5 episode of “The Joe Vulpis” podcast, where he reflected on his role in Breaking Bad and where his character might be today.
“[Walter Jr.] is going to school and taking care of his mom and his little sister and kind of, like, a dead-end type job, just trying to survive,” he predicted.
Mitte was also known for his roles in Switched at Birth, The Guardians of Justice and Now Apocalypse.
Mitte’s death comes one year after he announced his engagement to girlfriend Kennedy Suarez.
“I’m thrilled to have found my person, my partner in life who makes me want to be better, no matter what we’re doing,” he told People at the time. “Kennedy is my everything and I can’t wait to officially start our life together and see what adventures life takes us on next.”
